Foresail-1p satellite from Aalto Univeristy started science mission

Launched into space on November 28 last year and beginning its operations in early December, the Foresail-1p satellite has now started its work. After inspections and initial in-flight adjustments, it also began taking images, and one of the first beautifully shows the Vandenberg Space Launch Complex in California. The Falcon 9 rocket that carried the satellite lifted off from there.

The historic image series was taken on February 11, 2026, and it clearly shows the Santa Barbara coastal area - as well as one of the satellite’s antennas protruding in the lower right part of the image.

The pictures are nice, but perhaps more important is the research conducted with the satellite. It measures radiation using the PATE radiation detector developed at the University of Turku.

At the beginning of the year, the instrument was adjusted and calibrated, and it has detected both electrons and protons — which affect satellites in space in slightly different ways. Both types of particles come from the Sun, and they are especially abundant during space storms.

When a particularly interesting and powerful solar flare struck Earth on January 19, PATE was already able to take proper measurements of it.

Both Aalto University and Univeristy of Turku, along with the Finnish Meteorological Institute, are participating Foresail-1p mission and SpacEconomy project.